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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24689767">the witch, the lion, and the cup of tea</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/10vesick/pseuds/10vesick'>10vesick</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Donghyuck centric, Fairy Tale Elements, First Meetings, M/M, Pixie Huang Ren Jun, Shapeshifter Mark Lee, Witch Lee Donghyuck, the romantic feelings are implied but not too explored</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:16:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,293</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24689767</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/10vesick/pseuds/10vesick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As a kid, Donghyuck’s favorite thing to do was roam the woods with his friends. He always had dirt on his nails, his skin was beautifully sun-kissed, and he had a love for all kinds of animals that his parents didn’t quite understand, but nature did. In there, he always found serenity and spiritual connection.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>139</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the witch, the lion, and the cup of tea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>happy birthday <a href="https://twitter.com/wonucuit">baby</a> !!! i remember that little time ago you were thinking about witch hyuck... so i wanted to deliver. ojalá lo disfrutes, te amo muchísimo&lt;333</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>⚠ DISCLAIMER ⚠</p>
<p>i know,,, little to nothing about witches, magic and witchcraft, so this is totally a personal interpretation based on a bunch of google search and whatever my mind came up with. this is a work of fiction so please take it like that&lt;3 that being said, enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck loves weekends, because weekends mean alone time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Don’t get him wrong, he actually loves people– he loves the few friends he’s been lucky enough to make in town, loves his mentors, even loves working at Honey Spoon. The small teahouse owned by Yuta welcomes him warmly every morning, and so do the regular customers that visit on the daily. Being located in the middle of a small town, the shop offers Donghyuck a routine that he actually enjoys, and he’ll be eternally grateful for stumbling upon the place that warm June afternoon, almost two years ago. He’s grateful for Yuta, and even for his moody husband, Ten, who yells at Hyuck from the kitchen every morning for being late. The couple has taken good care of him for as long as he has known them, and they’ve proven to be such caring mentors Donghyuck can easily say he loves them, too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But what he loves the most is weekends and his alone time– just him and the forest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hyuck thinks about this first thing in the morning, just as he wakes up early to seize the day (he can almost hear Ten’s voice at the back of his head saying </span>
  <em>
    <span>So </span>
  </em>
  <span>this</span>
  <em>
    <span> you wake up early for?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>). He takes a shower, throws on some clean clothes and walks into the kitchen to make a quick breakfast, humming to the plants on the windowsill a song about warmth and sunshine. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It helps them grow</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Yuta told him once, and sure it does.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck lives in a small cabin on the outskirts of a small town. It used to belong to his great great great (he doesn’t really know how many </span>
  <em>
    <span>greats</span>
  </em>
  <span> there are supposed to be) grandmother, the last green witch of the family– that is, until Hyuck was born. It’s a cozy little cottage at the entrance of a forest, enclosed with a rose-bowered gateway and a willow tree. In contrast to the artistic curves or grand geometry of the modern houses on the urban cities, Hyuck’s home is an irregularity. Borders go right up to the house, the lawn is replaced with tufts of grass and flowers, and instead of a large scale color scheme, it isn’t even painted. The overall appearance it gives is that of a vegetable garden that has been taken over by flowers, and Donghyuck loves it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He inherited the place two years ago on his 18th birthday, due to the custom that when a witch turns 18, they are to leave home and find a new place to settle. His parents, both crystal witches, weren’t very happy with the idea of their only son living in the rural area of the city, but the boy couldn’t have been happier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was his destiny.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck finishes his breakfast within minutes, downing a cup of black tea to the last drop. He’s been getting better at brewing it, experimenting with different types of herbs and plants, just like his mentors told him to. He places the dirty dishes on the sink, then goes into the bathroom to brush his teeth and then his hair. Once he’s ready, Hyuck takes his string bag and the things he’ll take with him– a water canteen, a pocket knife, the protection crystal his parents gave him as a parting gift, and his favorite book: Botanical Magic &amp; Herb Craft.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before actually leaving, though, he plucks a petal from a plumeria flower by his window. From his finger, a golden drop of honey pours out at his will, and he smears it on the petal and lets the wind carry it away as an offering to nature. It isn’t until then that he hangs the bag on one shoulder, leaves his shoes by the entrance (he likes going on these expeditions while barefoot, so his feet can touch the soil and step on soft mossy spots), and opens the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And finally, he’s on his way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you seriously not tired of walking around this place every week?” someone calls to Hyuck as he starts making his way into the woods, the voice far too close to his ear to be another person.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch turns his head a little as he keeps walking, only to find a small creature flying next to him– a winged being with a handsome childlike face and pointy ears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “No, Renjun,” he says for the 5th week in a row. “I could never get tired of it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve gone as deep as you can into these woods,” Renjun scoffs, still flying next to him, keeping the other’s pace. “As big as they are, there’s nothing new to see, believe me. I’ve lived here my whole life.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Which hasn’t been as long as you think</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Hyuck wants to tell him, but opts it’s better not to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know,” he teases instead. “I thought you’d be a lot more nature-driven than this. As a fairy and everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck yelps as he feels a sharp sting on the top of his ear, which means Renjun has probably pulled it with all of his strength. “You know I’m a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pixie</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you moron,” he blurts out, like he’s just been insulted in the worst possible way. “The one who makes your flowers blossom, too, so I’d be more careful if I were you.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. Sorry,” the witch says with a smile, without really meaning it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun has been living on the hollowed trunk of the willow tree next to Hyuck’s cabin for almost a month now. He was born from a pansy bud that flourished at the bottom of the tree, and ever since, the witch’s flowers have gained color and strength (though Donghyuck still likes to give a little credit to his morning singing).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They continue moving forward after that, walking deep into the forest until Renjun has to sit down on his friend’s shoulder after his wings grow tired. Hyuck finds pine needles on the forest floor and picks up a few of them, wraps them into a bundle to burn in a smudging ritual to purify his home later in the night. He cuts a few loose ends with his pocket knife and puts them inside his bag, making sure he’s not taking more than he needs. Forest witchcraft is fun, but still respectful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On days like these, Donghyuck enjoys hiking through the woods, smelling the scent of conifers, and discovering hidden rivers. The forest, standing tall around him as he makes his way through it, is an enchanting, mysterious place full of riddles and adventure. The first time he met Renjun, the pixie had tried to lead him astray as a mischievous joke, but the witch had absolutely loved the detour.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He goes into the forest to experience all of his senses and to practice his witchcraft, after all, so climbing across fallen trees and sneaking between branches and bushes until he discovers hidden creeks and waterfalls are his favorite things. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The forest whispers to those who listen, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yuta told him the first day they met, and it was the first of many wonderful advices the young witch would get.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he finally finds a spot he likes– under a ponderosa pine facing a new waterfall he just found– Donghyuck sits with his back against the tree. He pulls his book out and begins to read, studying it like he doesn’t know its contents like the back of his hand. He finds peace in this, though there are days when his book isn’t needed. He also likes to simply listen to the wildlife around him, feel the breeze against his face, smell the aroma of the forest. Being here is enough to cleanse his aura and make him feel better, and the young witch wouldn’t trade it for anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew he was a green witch from the moment his feet touched the ground for the very first time as a baby. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two years ago, when he told this to both Yuta and Ten, he thought they wouldn’t believe him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There’s no way you remember that, </span>
  </em>
  <span>many people had told him in the past, claiming the memory to be too early in life for him to remember. But Yuta, a green witch himself, and Ten, married to him, had believed Donghyuck with a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>These kind of things, you just knew.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As a kid, Donghyuck’s favorite thing to do was roam the woods with his friends. He always had dirt on his nails, his skin was beautifully sun-kissed, and he had a love for all kinds of animals that his parents didn’t quite understand, but nature did. In there, he always found serenity and spiritual connection.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should be careful these days,” Renjun’s voice pulls him out of his thoughts. The pixie has moved on to sit under the shadow of a mushroom growing against the tree. His green attire and tinted hair make him almost blend with the grass underneath him. If it weren’t for his voice, Donghyuck would've thought he had left. “I heard it’s getting dangerous at night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hyuck raises an eyebrow. “And where did you hear this from, exactly?” he teases, and when the pixie’s pointy ears turn red, he knows he’s hit jackpot. “I thought fairies and pixies hated each other.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jeno’s different,” Renjun mumbles, almost too low for his friend to hear. “But that’s not the point. I’m being serious, you shouldn’t stay out too late.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sounds honestly concerned, so Donghyuck drops the teasing. “Alright, alright. Why not?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s been a lot of hunters lately.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s always hunters,” the witch says with distaste. It’s not uncommon to have humans camping inside these woods. Hyuck hates to hear their rifles go off during the day as they hunt down deers, rabbits and foxes– he thinks it’s sick and barbaric– but he’s cast spells on at least a dozen of them when he catches them, so he’s not scared of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If anything, they should be scared of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Renjun shakes his head. “I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual</span>
  </em>
  <span> hunters."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck’s blood turns cold.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Magical hunters</span>
  </em>
  <span>, his friend means. Humans who don’t come here for animal meat or soft fur, but rather something more rare. These people hunt for the supernatural– werewolves and dwarves, elves and fairies, goblins and nymphs. Pixies like Renjun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Witches like Hyuck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When did they get here?” he asks, his throat suddenly gone dry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His friend makes a face. “I think Wednesday? Jeno says they were probably brought by someone who’s not from around here. They keep talking about a shapeshifter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck purses his lips. Renjun’s right. There’s no one around these woods who’s a shapeshifter, not even the witch himself. Whoever this creature is, they must’ve had the hunters on their trail and led them into these woods while trying to escape. Hyuck wants to cuss at them and blame them for endangering him and his friends, but he can’t bring himself to do so. That person is in danger, too. Magical hunting is not exactly legal, not after the government passed that one law about the protection of all supernatural creatures. These hunters are the worst.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know what kind of shapeshifting?” he asks, not sure why he’d like to know. He’s just never met a shapeshifter before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun hums. “Therianthropy, I think.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Okay, so they can turn into an animal. Donghyuck has read enough about shapeshifters to know that, and he starts wondering what kind of animal could this stranger take the form of. The most common are cats, sometimes dogs, or even birds. Any other animal might make them too powerful, and Hyuck is momentarily scared of the possibility of a higher being roaming around these woods at the same time he is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just… Be careful, okay?” Renjun says after a few more seconds of silence. “The fact that they’re after the shapeshifter doesn’t mean they won’t get their hands on whoever they can.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s probably not the right moment, but Hyuck smiles a little. “Oi, Injunnie, are you worried about me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He feels a needle-like touch hit a side of his leg. Renjun probably punched him. “Of course I am, idiot. You’re always so dumbfounded with these woods, you could fall into a trap any second.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a bittersweet taste to his words, but Donghyuck feels strangely grateful for the other’s concern. He also worries for Renjun. “I promise I’ll be careful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good,” the pixie sighs, crawling out from under the mushroom and dusting off his clothes. Hyuck takes a second to admire how pretty his wings are– like a butterfly’s– as his friend takes into flight in front of his face. “I’m meeting Jeno by the honeysuckle vines behind his tree. Just a second, then I’m going home. You should do the same, soon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch nods. “I’ll just finish one more chapter and go back,” he says, raising his book a little. “Good luck on your date.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun rolls his eyes, but his ears get that pinkish tint again. “It’s not a date.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck teases him once more, and the pixie sticks out his tongue at him before taking off, his beautifully colored wings a glimpse in the wind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, he’s alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>A shapeshifter, huh?</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the thought lingers at the back of the witch’s mind, like something he should never forget. Then he shrugs, trying to shake the unnerving feeling off his back before going back to his book. It isn’t long until his eyes feel heavy, and Donghyuck leans his head against the trunk behind him and closes his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just for a moment, he thinks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’ll make sure to leave in less than a minute.</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck wakes up to the sound of a gun going off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He jumps on his seat, startled, and looks around him dumbfounded, like he doesn’t remember where he is. The forest stands tall around him, clear trees and plants now turned into shadows and streaks of moonlight. Everything around him is dark,  and within seconds of realizing he was unconscious Hyuck’s on his feet, eyes wide, dreams not just forgotten but obliterated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His mind goes back to Renjun. He could swear he had left just a few minutes ago, but apparently hours have passed. Donghyuck can’t believe he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> stupid. How could he simply doze off, after the talk they had?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, sweet Gaea. The talk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aside from his own heavy breathing, the noise has died and the woods are simply too dark to see much at all. Black trunks against an almost black backdrop don't make for much too see and his imagination begins to supply horrors to fill the void. He’d never been scared of the forest before, but tonight seems like the first time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hyuck’s pretty sure the gunshot he heard was from </span>
  <em>
    <span>them.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The magical hunters. They’re roaming around the woods right now, as Donghyuck stands still in front of the waterfall, with the pine tree behind him like he’s done a thousand times. But this time is different. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, he’s in danger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck’s skin shudders, and he can feel his brain starting to defocus, searching for a way out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he stays, they’ll catch him, so he has to be quick but silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Helpless, he picks up his things and walks on, his feet dragging noisily on the carpet of lifeless leaves, each step making his heart beat faster. The sky plunges into ominous darkness, awakening predatory creatures out of their lair, both regular and mythical. Hyuck jumps as a distant bloodcurdling howl makes his hair stand on end. He watches anxiously as the forest slowly transforms into a lethal playground. Tree branches stretch out in front of him, forming a cavern of distorted limbs that seemed to reach out and grab at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, another gun going off. He has to run.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hyuck doesn’t stop for anything. He runs through the woods like he’s running for his life, which, in a sense, he actually is. He prays to the wind to blow hard enough to cover his track with the debris of a storm, to wash away any trace of his path, to remove his scents from the trees so the hunters can’t find him. Who cares if they’re after the shapeshifter? It’s just like Renjun said– they’ll get their hands on anything they can.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He scrambles his brain for things he can do. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fly? No, he left his broomstick at home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Make a potion? He’d need enough time to prepare a protective one that could take him home safely. He’d have to gather the right plants and herbs– assuming they were near– and then brew them into a tea or soup he’d have to have his tools for, which he also left at home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cast a spell? What kind? His brain is fuzzy with fear and adrenaline, and he’s pretty sure no words would come out of his mouth if he tried to speak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s too young to die. He has so much to learn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The scent of late fall is laden into those gusts that push impetuously against this face. Every flutter of a leave catches his attention, sparks his minds to turn faster, loosening its tenuous grip to reality. There’s another sound, but this one’s not of a gun. It’s swiffer, a lot less loud, but it’s there and Donghyuck hears it almost behind him. There’s a roar somewhere in the background, but he keeps running. He has to keep running.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s almost a miracle he makes it back home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d almost thought he was lost, but Hyuck can see the familiar irregularity of stone and intertwined vines that make his cabin. He runs towards it, his knees feeling like rubber after running constantly for what seemed like hours but was most likely a few minutes, and he gulps selfish breaths of air when he reaches the stone path that leads to his front door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Holy moondust</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Donghyuck,” an angry voice whispers next to his ear, and it sends a chill running down the witch’s back. “What did I tell you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turns to find Renjun, a fuming expression on his face, and the pixie launches to press needle-like punches to Donghyuck’s cheeks. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ouch</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” the witch complains, backing away. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t think… I just… I’m...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s hard to speak when his lungs are still trying to catch a breath. Renjun looks like he’s about to say something– maybe curse some more at him in pixie language– but loud noise, way too close to them, makes the words die on his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not just any noise. A roar.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Witch and pixie turn around at the same time as a 400-pound male lion runs toward them at full speed, the only thing that stops him from charging at them being the fact that he stomps against the small stone fence that yields Donghyuck’s home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A scream gets caught up on the witch’s lips as he watches the animal– dazed and angry, making a sound at the back of his throat that can only mean bad news. Renjun has flown somewhere into his willow tree, so now it’s just the lion and Hyuck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Great. The hunters didn’t kill him, but this feline probably will.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good little lion,” Donghyuck says, his voice trembling. On other circumstances, he would have been completely amazed by this animal; his fur is wonderfully golden and his mane is medium length like he’s still young. His claws are long and sharp and his teeth look the same as he growls. He’s a beautiful lion, Hyuck can tell, but right now there’s too much fear clogging his brain for him to process the thought. “Good little lion, please don’t eat me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yeah, probably not enough to convince him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lion shakes his head like he’s trying to clear his thoughts, and then he launches toward Donghyuck again, another roar coming out of his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he doesn’t attack him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, the lion simply presses his head against Hyuck’s legs, like he’s a kitten asking to get pet. He roars once more, and this time, the tone is clearer to the witch’s ears– he sounds hurt, like he’s in pain and asking for help.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck, who’d closed his eyes and given up his life to this animal, slowly peeks at him through his lashes. His eyes widen as he focuses on something he hadn’t seen before: a small, thin shaft like a splinter coming out from the lion’s side, just between his ribcage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hyuck gasps as he notices– the object is ammunition, an arrow-like projectile stuck deep inside the animal. A crossbow bolt. That’s what he’d heard as he’d been running, the swift sound that couldn’t have come from a gun. It had hit this lion, and he was in pain and asking Donghyuck for help. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, sweet Gaea,” he yelps, all fear thrown out the window as he kneels to take a better look at the feline. He’s huge, his head being the same size as Hyuck’s, but his eyes are sad and pained now that he has them in front of him. “You poor thing...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He inspects the lion. He’s got more than one wound across his body, but most of them seem partially healed, except for the one he just got. The arrow is still stuck deep inside him, probably making it hard to breathe. The witch prays to Mother Nature so that the projectile didn’t pierce the lion’s lungs, scattering inside his brains for ways to help. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, the right potions and spells come quickly to mind, things he’s learned from Yuta over the years, and Donghyuck knows he has the resources to help this creature. His heart rate increases– he’s never tried to heal animals this big before. All he’s ever tried healing is Ten’s cat when he had a broken paw, a bird who had an injured wing, and a bunny who had a stomach ache that resulted in pregnancy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Never a full-grown male lion with an arrow sticking out of his ribcage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least Hyuck’s ambitious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s okay, you’ll be okay,” he promises, even if he’s not entirely sure that’s true. He runs his hands through the lion’s mane, feels the soft hair wrap around his fingers. “You’re with me now. I’ll help you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A rustling in the woods reminds Donghyuck of the situation. They’re still outside, in the open, and there are hunters roaming around the woods that won’t hesitate to hurt them if they catch a glimpse of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He must bring the lion inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, big boy,” he tells the animal, trying to get his voice to sound as soothing as he can. “Help me out, okay? Do one last effort. We need to get you inside.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lion groans like he really doesn’t want to. It must hurt like hell to walk around with the bolt hurting his side, but there’s no way on Earth that Donghyuck could carry him inside on his own. He wraps his arm around the lion’s body, careful not to move the arrow and hurt him, and together they limp towards the entrance of the house.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From the trunk of the willow, Renjun’s faint voice calls out for Hyuck. “Are you insane?!” the pixie says, but the sound of footsteps nearing the house make him hide his face inside the tree again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck barely makes it to the door and inside the house with the lion as the footsteps grow near. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instantly, the injured feline slumps by the entrance, panting like the stone path they just crossed has been the most tiring thing he’s ever had to face. But it’s okay, because Hyuck’s already getting down to work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>First things first, he casts a protection spell on the cabin. He takes eucalyptus leaves from the plant on his windowsill and conjures a pot of honey from somewhere around the kitchen. He mixes them together inside a flask, adds a few more herbs, and makes a kind of green molotov cocktail that he throws out of the window and into the yard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead of exploding, the flask makes a dull sparkling sound and sends a wave of energy around the house.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Uncrossing and protection. Check.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now onto his lion friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck rummages through the drawers in his kitchen. The best herbs grow in his garden for him to keep: basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, chamomile, mint– whatever he needs, he’s got in here. With clumsy fingers, the witch takes a small glass vial from his cabinet. Bingo. Rosemary can be used for nearly any magical intention: love, money, dreaming, purification.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Healing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Swinging his hand towards his room, Hyuck calls for a long brown candle to fly into his hand. He lights it with a snap of his fingers and walks towards the lion still lying almost unconscious on his doorstep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kneels down next to the animal again and places the candle in between them. Hyuck pulls out a bit of rosemary from the vial and burns it on the candlelight. Then he leans forward and places a hand on the lion’s body, just below the arrow on his side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry about this,” he whispers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wrapping two fingers around a small bit of his fur, Donghyuck pulls with all of his strength. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lion roars in complaint but, thankfully, he doesn’t attack the witch for hurting him, and Hyuck’s successful on getting a bit of the animal’s hair. He burns those over the candle, too, and holds his hands out to caress the other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>As the candle burns may sickness depart,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” the witch recites calling for all of his powers to listen to him. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>As the hairs light, let healing come in.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t do anything to try and pull the arrow out of the lion, but as he finishes casting the spell, the bolt falls in between both of them, almost like it slipped on its own. The wound is still there, but it doesn’t bleed out. The lion’s breath steadies a little, his eyes fall closed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In under a second, he’s fast asleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You can tell he’s asleep because of the way his body continues moving up and down with breathing. The spell worked, but it won’t have an immediate effect. Healing, even for witches, takes time, so the process won’t be over until the candle melts down to its last bit of wax.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lion must spend the night, which won’t be hard, now that it has passed out right on Hyuck’s doorway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A smile pulls at the witch’s lips since this afternoon, and it’s a relief he’s safe. Not only that, but he helped heal this beautiful creature, and that on its own is enough for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, Donghyuck feels tired. Despite the long, accidental, nap he had on the forest, all the fear, the running, and the spells he cast drained all of his energy. He picks up the blood-stained arrow from the floor and throws it away after getting up. The witch yawns. There’s no more noise outside, which means he and the lion will probably be safe for the night without having to keep watch, so it’s settled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bedtime has arrived.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking one last look at the lion sleeping peacefully on his doorway, Donghyuck takes a deep breath. The light of the candle in front of him casts beautiful shadows on the animal, makes him look like a doll display on a wildlife museum. Poor thing must’ve been exhausted to the bone, too, because he snores like he doesn’t have a care in the world. It’s kind of cute to see.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight,” the green witch whispers with a small smile on his face, before heading into his room for a good night’s rest.</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mark wakes up to sunlight hitting his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s lying on the wooden floor of what seems like an old cabin, with so many different kinds of plants and flowers that he can’t even recognize. There’s a clump of melted brown wax next to him, like a candle that burned out completely, and the faint smell of wet soil and cinnamon fills the air around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, the memories of last night come back to his mind, like flashes of a movie he saw somewhere, instead of something that happened to him just a few hours ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hunters on his trail. The sharp pain of something hitting his side. A pair of warm hands caressing his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mark sits up with a wince. It’s not that he’s particularly hurting anywhere, more like his body is tired and slightly sore. He takes a good look around him, then at himself– he’s back on his human form. His clothes have mud and leaves on them. Even though he can’t find any reflective surface to see his face on, it probably doesn’t look any better. His hair must be sticking up in all directions, his face must be covered in dirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mark presses his hand– big, and with five distinct fingers on it– to his ribcage, but he finds nothing sticking out from them. His shirt has a small hole on it, though, clear evidence that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> get an arrow to his side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So it’s true. He got healed by a person with the most soothing of voices.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because, to be honest, Mark can’t exactly remember what the witch looked like. It was dark, and he was running away from the hunters, and the arrow that pierced through him had that annoying numbing effect that made his entire body feel weird. His vision had blurred, his movements had become clumsy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he clearly remembers the voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s okay, you’ll be okay. You’re with me now. I’ll help you.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been enough to keep him conscious until the witch worked their spell. He smelled what seemed like rosemary, felt the other pluck at his fur, tell him a few sentences that Mark didn’t really understand, but that made him feel instantly better.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy Gaea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mark jumps on his place, scooting back until his back hits the door behind him. It’s the same voice from last night, the one who spoke him into health, except that this time it’s stained with surprise and has a face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s almost like both of them have to take a second to catch their breaths.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a young man at the door frame in front of Mark. He’s fairly tall, but with a boyish face that holds soft features. His skin is sun-kissed, his hair curly and messy, and his hands have small scratches on them, like he either had a fight with an angry cat or a rose bush. He looks about Mark’s age, if perhaps a little younger, and he stands by the entrance of the living room like he’s just found everything out of place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mark knows little about witches, but he can tell this person is one. A green witch, they call them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“... Hi,” Mark mumbles, which probably isn’t the smartest thing to say. He struggles to his feet, not breaking eye contact with the other so he knows he means well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he takes a step towards the witch, this one takes a step back. The book he’d been holding drops with a thud on the carpet. “Who are you?” he asks, and it breaks Mark’s heart to notice his lip is trembling. “How did you get here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He must think I’m one of the hunters, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mark realizes, putting the pieces together. A stranger has just appeared in the middle of this witch’s living room, looking like he spent his night in the woods but still ready to take him down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s going to be hard to explain, but he tries his best. “I’m Mark,” he raises his hands up in a calming gesture, then looks down for a second. He gestures toward the melted wax by his feet. “You healed me last night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A mix of confusion and surprise takes over the witch’s features.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, the words seem to register and he pauses in his panic. His gaze rakes over Mark, and his eyes stop at his head of golden-brown hair, and that's when the other seems to start working it out, his eyes widening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He walks up to Mark, with small steps like he’s scared he’ll turn into a lion any second now and attack him. He studies him intently, like he’s a spell book he wants to study, and words spill out from his lips almost like his brain can’t comprehend them. “You’re the shapeshifter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This throws Mark off, but he nods. “You know me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch gulps down, then shakes his head. “No. But those hunters do, don’t they?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s like the arrow has made its way back into Mark’s ribcage. “They’ve been following me for almost a month now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silence falls between both of them after that. It’s not as awkward as the shapeshifter would’ve thought, but neither of them speak. They just stare at each other like it’s the first time in both their lives that they’ve ever seen someone from their respective species. It kind of is, though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“... I’m Donghyuck,” the witch then says after a few more seconds, like he’s decided he can– or </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants</span>
  </em>
  <span> to– trust Mark. “Would you like some tea?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mark bites his lip and looks uncertain for a moment, but he finally nods and follows Donghyuck into the kitchen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sit at the dining table after the witch prepares a cup of the most delicious black tea the shapeshifter has ever tasted. Then Mark starts telling the story from the beginning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tells Donghyuck everything. From the forest he used to live in, a few hundred miles away from here, to the group of hunters who tried to wipe it clean from all magical life. He tells him about the way he escaped, about the places he’s been running to so far, and even apologizes for bringing trouble to Hyuck’s forest. When the witch asks why Mark wouldn’t just shift back into his human form and go unnoticed into town, Mark also tells him about the kind of bolts the hunters have been firing at him– numbing arrows that make him dizzy and weak, diminishing his powers. It was almost impossible for him to go back to being human without healing his wounds first, but as he got through one, the hunters would soon give him another one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Forty-five minutes later, Mark finally falls silent. His throat hurts from talking so much. On his side of the table, Hyuck has his hands wrapped around his empty cup of tea, his eyes glassy, and looking incredibly overwhelmed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’ve just been on the run, stuck in lion form? For almost an entire month?” the witch asks, voice slightly trembling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mark nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you’ve gotten help, right?” Donghyuck asks, almost like he’s begging to get a positive answer. “You’ve been able to make it because other creatures or humans have helped you hide and get somewhere else safe, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something about the way he sounds so hurt makes Mark’s heart swell. “No,” he confesses, his eyes falling to his own cup of tea. “You’re the first person who’s ever helped me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck doesn’t say anything, like the idea alone is too crazy for him to believe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One month of running away, alone, living through hunger and cold, yet no one had dared to help him? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So I just wanted to say thank you,” Mark’s voice calls for him, a little shyly. The shapeshifter clears his throat, then stands up from his seat. “For the help, and for the tea. But I should be going now, you know...” he rubs the back of his neck, nervous. “I don’t want to cause you any more trouble.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knows it’s dangerous for him to stay any longer. Nothing assures him the hunters didn’t see him come in last night. If they find out Mark is here and that he’s gone back to being a human, if they find out Donghyuck helped him… Mark doesn’t even want to think about what they would do to the witch. He doesn’t deserve that. He’s done as much as he could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But as he starts to walk out of the kitchen, a small hand wraps around his wrist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And when Mark turns around, Donghyuck is looking at him like he’s more scared of what could happen to Mark if he leaves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay,” the witch says, almost like he’s pleading. “You don’t have anywhere to go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mark feels a knot on his throat. “I’ll find it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have,” Donghyuck insists, standing up to stare at Mark face to face. From up close, the other can almost see every detail on his face– his honey-colored eyes, the moles on his cheeks that connect into a constellation. “You’ve come here, you’ve found this place,” he mumbles. “So stay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s almost like Mark would rather get another arrow to the chest than say no to these eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You barely know me, Donghyuck,” he says, and it comes out as a weak whisper. The way his name falls of his lips feels good, though. Like he should be saying it more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A soft smile plays on the witch’s lips, though. “But I like what I know so far.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whether it’s last night’s spell, a month worth of exhaustion, or the tea he just drank, Mark feels warm from just looking at that smile. Maybe it is for the best– having somewhere to hide, somewhere to heal. Someone to come back home to. He doesn’t really know.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But standing there, looking at the witch and feeling his warm touch, all he knows is that he could get used to this. He could get used to looking at Donghyuck’s face every day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So maybe, just maybe, Mark should say yes.</span>
</p>
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